# A night in Anaga, half an hour from Santa Cruz: El Pijaral, Taganana and the Faro

On Saturday, guided laurel forest at Cruz del Carmen and a night at El Bailadero; on Sunday, El Pijaral with a permit at dawn and fish at Roque de las Bodegas.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/canary-islands/anaga-massif/itineraries/one-night-laurel-forest-and-lighthouse-anaga · Revisado: 2026-11-13

Dónde: Anaga Massif

Anaga is half an hour from Santa Cruz, which is why almost everyone sees it in a day and goes back. Staying a night inside, at El Bailadero, changes the plan: on Sunday you are ten minutes from La Ensillada when El Pijaral opens, before the mist arrives and before anyone else, and you go down to the coast for lunch with the morning already done.

## Where to sleep?

At the Albergue Montes de Anaga, the only accommodation inside the park: nine rooms for two to six people at El Bailadero, from €20 per person per night, with heating and free parking. It does not serve meals, but you can use the kitchen for €2 and rent the terrace barbecue. If you prefer a hotel, in La Laguna, half an hour from Cruz del Carmen, there are the Hotel Aguere, in an 18th-century house in the old town, and La Laguna Gran Hotel, with a rooftop pool; from there El Pijaral is about 45 minutes away.

## How do you get El Pijaral?

With a free authorisation from the Cabildo, on Tenerife ON. Places are published on Mondays at 7:00 for the following week, up to 14 days ahead, and only for individuals: you cannot go with a company or a guide. Download the permit, because there is not always a signal at the top. If there is no place, on Sunday morning do the Bosque de los Enigmas from Cruz del Carmen.

## Getting around

By car is the most convenient: El Bailadero is about 35 minutes from Santa Cruz via San Andrés, and from there to La Ensillada, Taganana or Chamorga it is ten to twenty minutes. Without a car, swap El Pijaral for the route from Chamorga to the Anaga Lighthouse: bus 947 stops at El Bailadero and goes up to Chamorga at 10:15 at weekends; the rest of the plan works with the 946.

## El plan

### Saturday · 9:30 · Guided laurel forest at Cruz del Carmen
A walk of about two hours with an official Senda Ecoway guide and lunch at a guachinche. From €65, minimum four people and booking three days ahead. Without a group, do the Sendero de los Sentidos and the Bosque de los Enigmas on your own.

### Saturday · 16:00 · From El Bailadero to Taganana and back
Leave your things at the hostel and go down the Azanos path towards Taganana; if you do not want to climb 600 m back up, go as far as the Roque de Amogoje and return.

### Saturday · 20:00 · Dinner at the hostel
With groceries bought in Santa Cruz or San Andrés: there are no shops up there.

### Sunday · 8:30 · El Pijaral
Ten minutes by car to La Ensillada. A 6.4 km loop and 2 h 30 to the Cabezo del Tejo viewpoint, with a permit.

### Sunday · 11:30 · Taganana
Go down to the village and walk the interpreted trail, a kilometre among houses and the church.

### Sunday · 13:00 · Fish at Casa África
At the Roque de las Bodegas, sold by weight and no booking. Open Wednesday to Sunday until 18:00.

### Sunday · 15:00 · The coast path
From the Roque de las Bodegas to Almáciga and the Benijo viewpoint. Back to Santa Cruz via San Andrés in about 35 minutes.

## Un consejo más

If Sunday dawns with a rain or wind alert on Tenerife ON, the El Pijaral permit may be void: swap it for the Bosque de los Enigmas.

## Cuándo no ir

Monday and Tuesday, because of Casa África, and days with a bad-weather or fire-risk alert.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Santa Cruz?
About 35 minutes by car to El Bailadero via San Andrés, or a little over half an hour on bus 946 or 947.

### Do I need to book anything?
The El Pijaral permit, the hostel bed and, if there are four or more of you, the guided walk.

### How much does the getaway cost?
Between €110 and €170 per person with the night at the hostel, the guided walk with lunch, dinner and Sunday lunch.

### Can I do it with children?
Yes, swapping El Pijaral for the Sendero de los Sentidos and the descent to Taganana for the coast walk.

## Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Albergue Montes de Anaga, at El Bailadero**, desde 20 € / bed: Sleeping inside the park
The Albergue Montes de Anaga is the way to spend the night in the heart of the Rural Park, at El Bailadero, the pass where the roads to Taganana and Chamorga part. It is 800 metres from the TF-12 junction along the TF-123, about 35 minutes by car from Santa Cruz and 45 from La Laguna. It has nine rooms for two, four or six people, named after hamlets of the area: Afur, Taganana, Las Carboneras, Chamorga, Chinamada, Los Batanes, Roque Bermejo, Taborno and Almáciga. There is heating, which is welcome up here, a television room and a dining room with glass walls. It is adapted for people with disabilities.
Prices and how it works
The published rate is €20 per person per night, IGIC (Canary Islands tax) included, and €40 for the Afur room, a double with its own bathroom; residents of the Canary Islands pay less and there is a group price. Sheets are included and towels can be hired. It no longer serves meals: instead, you can use the kitchen for €2 per person and hire the terrace barbecue for €30. Bring your shopping from Santa Cruz or San Andrés, because there are no shops up here. The booking is paid in full when you make it. You must give notice of your arrival time, between 14:00 and 18:00, and leave the room between 8:00 and 10:00. Pets are not allowed.
Getting there
By car, from Santa Cruz towards San Andrés, the El Bailadero roundabout and Taganana, the TF-12 and the TF-123 turn-off; parking is free. Without a car, TITSA buses 946 and 947 from the Santa Cruz interchange, or the 077 from La Laguna via Las Mercedes and Cruz del Carmen, which at weekends leaves at 10:00. From the door you can walk down to Taganana along the Azanos path, and by car you are ten minutes from La Ensillada, where El Pijaral begins.
- **Hotel Aguere, in the centre of La Laguna**: The Aguere occupies an 18th-century noble house on Calle Obispo Rey Redondo, opposite the Teatro Leal, in the heart of La Laguna's historic centre. It has 22 rooms around a Canarian patio covered by a glass roof, and today it is run by the Rosa Hotels group. It has operated as a hotel since 1885, and both the Cabildo de Tenerife and La Laguna Town Council have awarded it their gold medal, the latter for a century of historic trading.
From a Lima-born captain's house to the 1885 hotel
According to the house itself, it was built in 1760 by Cesáreo de la Torre y Ceballos, born in Lima, captain of Güímar and a member of the Real Sociedad Económica de La Laguna. It was later the residence of the Bishop of Tenerife Luis Folgueras and a residential college of the Instituto de Canarias, before becoming a hotel. The building is protected as historic-artistic heritage, and what you notice most on entering is the patio, with the light falling from the glass roof onto the galleries.
The patio of Café Aguere
In that patio is the Café Aguere, open also to people who are not staying at the hotel: coffee, breakfasts, afternoon snacks and artisan cakes. The website does not publish opening hours or say whether breakfast is included in the rate; check when booking in its booking engine, where each option is chosen.
Standard or superior
The 22 rooms are of two types. The standard rooms have a 1.80 m bed or two 1.05 m beds, free wifi, heating, a work desk, television and safe, with a marble bathroom, hairdryer, magnifying mirror and toiletries. The superior rooms join two 1.05 m mattresses into one large bed, add a telephone and a safe that fits a laptop, and face the street. They are classic rooms, decorated with nods to the city's aristocracy: the air of an old house rather than design. The website gives no floor areas, maximum occupancy or rules on cots or pets; ask at reservas@hotelaguere.es or on 922 31 40 36, where they speak Spanish, English and German.
For getting to Anaga
La Laguna is the western gateway to Anaga: from here you climb via Las Mercedes to Cruz del Carmen in about 25 minutes. Without a car, the La Laguna interchange, from where buses 076 and 275 go to Cruz del Carmen and the 077 to El Bailadero, is a walk from the hotel, and the tram takes you to Santa Cruz. For dinner nearby, Nómada is about 500 m away, on Calle Nava y Grimón. In the centre parking is difficult: the website does not mention its own garage, so ask when booking where to leave the car.
- **La Laguna Gran Hotel**: La Laguna Gran Hotel is a four-star hotel with 123 rooms that joins an 18th-century noble house to a modern annex, on Calle Nava y Grimón, on the edge of La Laguna's historic centre. What sets it apart is the fourth-floor roof: a 22-metre pool, gym and terrace with a view over the city's rooftops. The pool opens seasonally; pool and gym run from 9:00 to 21:00.
The 1776 house and the tobacco factory
In the lobby the year 1776 is still engraved beside the name Guerra y Hoyo: it was the house of Fernando Guerra y Hoyo Solórzano, an enlightened nobleman who held gatherings there. Later it was a teacher-training school and, in the mid-20th century, the Don Álvaro tobacco factory; a small museum beside reception remembers those who worked in it. It opened as a hotel in 2017, after the house and its patios were restored.
From the Noble to the Royal Suite
The rooms range from 25 to 60 m². The Deluxe, at 26 m², are of contemporary design and almost all have a bath; the Deluxe with Terrace add a landscaped terrace with table and chairs. The Noble, at 25 m², keep the character of the old house, with pine ceilings and floors and classic furniture. For three people there is the Executive, at 35 m², with a sofa bed. Above that are Junior Suites with a terrace, Noble Suites with hipped wooden ceilings and two large suites, the Iconic, with an outdoor bath on its terrace, and the Royal, at 60 m². All have wifi, air conditioning, safe, minibar, kettle with coffee and tea, desk and access to the pool and gym.
Breakfast, Verodes and Nómada
Breakfast is a buffet in the Verodes restaurant, from 7:30 to 10:30 every day; if you leave early for the mountains, they provide a takeaway breakfast. Verodes serves lunch from 13:00 to 16:00 and dinner from 19:30 to 23:00 with modern Canarian cooking, and the market restaurant Nómada has a street entrance and opens on Sunday at midday. There is also a café in the patio, a wine bar and brunch.
Bikes, luggage and families
24-hour reception, room service, a pillow menu, laundry with a minimum of 48 hours and free luggage storage before check-in and after check-out. It has the Cycling Friendly label, with bike racks, a workshop with tools and an area for washing bikes and charging electric ones, useful if you come to cycle the Anaga roads. There are adapted rooms, a free cot for under-twos and transfers to Tenerife North and South airports on request. Pets are not allowed. The website does not give check-in and check-out times or say whether there is its own parking: ask when booking.
25 minutes from Cruz del Carmen
It is a good base if you want to alternate city and mountains: Cruz del Carmen is about 25 minutes by car via Las Mercedes, and the La Laguna interchange, with buses to Cruz del Carmen, Afur and El Bailadero, is a walk away. The tram takes you to Santa Cruz.

## Dónde dormir without a car
- **Albergue Montes de Anaga, at El Bailadero**, desde 20 € / bed: Sleeping inside the park
The Albergue Montes de Anaga is the way to spend the night in the heart of the Rural Park, at El Bailadero, the pass where the roads to Taganana and Chamorga part. It is 800 metres from the TF-12 junction along the TF-123, about 35 minutes by car from Santa Cruz and 45 from La Laguna. It has nine rooms for two, four or six people, named after hamlets of the area: Afur, Taganana, Las Carboneras, Chamorga, Chinamada, Los Batanes, Roque Bermejo, Taborno and Almáciga. There is heating, which is welcome up here, a television room and a dining room with glass walls. It is adapted for people with disabilities.
Prices and how it works
The published rate is €20 per person per night, IGIC (Canary Islands tax) included, and €40 for the Afur room, a double with its own bathroom; residents of the Canary Islands pay less and there is a group price. Sheets are included and towels can be hired. It no longer serves meals: instead, you can use the kitchen for €2 per person and hire the terrace barbecue for €30. Bring your shopping from Santa Cruz or San Andrés, because there are no shops up here. The booking is paid in full when you make it. You must give notice of your arrival time, between 14:00 and 18:00, and leave the room between 8:00 and 10:00. Pets are not allowed.
Getting there
By car, from Santa Cruz towards San Andrés, the El Bailadero roundabout and Taganana, the TF-12 and the TF-123 turn-off; parking is free. Without a car, TITSA buses 946 and 947 from the Santa Cruz interchange, or the 077 from La Laguna via Las Mercedes and Cruz del Carmen, which at weekends leaves at 10:00. From the door you can walk down to Taganana along the Azanos path, and by car you are ten minutes from La Ensillada, where El Pijaral begins.
- **Hotel Aguere, in the centre of La Laguna**: The Aguere occupies an 18th-century noble house on Calle Obispo Rey Redondo, opposite the Teatro Leal, in the heart of La Laguna's historic centre. It has 22 rooms around a Canarian patio covered by a glass roof, and today it is run by the Rosa Hotels group. It has operated as a hotel since 1885, and both the Cabildo de Tenerife and La Laguna Town Council have awarded it their gold medal, the latter for a century of historic trading.
From a Lima-born captain's house to the 1885 hotel
According to the house itself, it was built in 1760 by Cesáreo de la Torre y Ceballos, born in Lima, captain of Güímar and a member of the Real Sociedad Económica de La Laguna. It was later the residence of the Bishop of Tenerife Luis Folgueras and a residential college of the Instituto de Canarias, before becoming a hotel. The building is protected as historic-artistic heritage, and what you notice most on entering is the patio, with the light falling from the glass roof onto the galleries.
The patio of Café Aguere
In that patio is the Café Aguere, open also to people who are not staying at the hotel: coffee, breakfasts, afternoon snacks and artisan cakes. The website does not publish opening hours or say whether breakfast is included in the rate; check when booking in its booking engine, where each option is chosen.
Standard or superior
The 22 rooms are of two types. The standard rooms have a 1.80 m bed or two 1.05 m beds, free wifi, heating, a work desk, television and safe, with a marble bathroom, hairdryer, magnifying mirror and toiletries. The superior rooms join two 1.05 m mattresses into one large bed, add a telephone and a safe that fits a laptop, and face the street. They are classic rooms, decorated with nods to the city's aristocracy: the air of an old house rather than design. The website gives no floor areas, maximum occupancy or rules on cots or pets; ask at reservas@hotelaguere.es or on 922 31 40 36, where they speak Spanish, English and German.
For getting to Anaga
La Laguna is the western gateway to Anaga: from here you climb via Las Mercedes to Cruz del Carmen in about 25 minutes. Without a car, the La Laguna interchange, from where buses 076 and 275 go to Cruz del Carmen and the 077 to El Bailadero, is a walk from the hotel, and the tram takes you to Santa Cruz. For dinner nearby, Nómada is about 500 m away, on Calle Nava y Grimón. In the centre parking is difficult: the website does not mention its own garage, so ask when booking where to leave the car.
- **La Laguna Gran Hotel**: La Laguna Gran Hotel is a four-star hotel with 123 rooms that joins an 18th-century noble house to a modern annex, on Calle Nava y Grimón, on the edge of La Laguna's historic centre. What sets it apart is the fourth-floor roof: a 22-metre pool, gym and terrace with a view over the city's rooftops. The pool opens seasonally; pool and gym run from 9:00 to 21:00.
The 1776 house and the tobacco factory
In the lobby the year 1776 is still engraved beside the name Guerra y Hoyo: it was the house of Fernando Guerra y Hoyo Solórzano, an enlightened nobleman who held gatherings there. Later it was a teacher-training school and, in the mid-20th century, the Don Álvaro tobacco factory; a small museum beside reception remembers those who worked in it. It opened as a hotel in 2017, after the house and its patios were restored.
From the Noble to the Royal Suite
The rooms range from 25 to 60 m². The Deluxe, at 26 m², are of contemporary design and almost all have a bath; the Deluxe with Terrace add a landscaped terrace with table and chairs. The Noble, at 25 m², keep the character of the old house, with pine ceilings and floors and classic furniture. For three people there is the Executive, at 35 m², with a sofa bed. Above that are Junior Suites with a terrace, Noble Suites with hipped wooden ceilings and two large suites, the Iconic, with an outdoor bath on its terrace, and the Royal, at 60 m². All have wifi, air conditioning, safe, minibar, kettle with coffee and tea, desk and access to the pool and gym.
Breakfast, Verodes and Nómada
Breakfast is a buffet in the Verodes restaurant, from 7:30 to 10:30 every day; if you leave early for the mountains, they provide a takeaway breakfast. Verodes serves lunch from 13:00 to 16:00 and dinner from 19:30 to 23:00 with modern Canarian cooking, and the market restaurant Nómada has a street entrance and opens on Sunday at midday. There is also a café in the patio, a wine bar and brunch.
Bikes, luggage and families
24-hour reception, room service, a pillow menu, laundry with a minimum of 48 hours and free luggage storage before check-in and after check-out. It has the Cycling Friendly label, with bike racks, a workshop with tools and an area for washing bikes and charging electric ones, useful if you come to cycle the Anaga roads. There are adapted rooms, a free cot for under-twos and transfers to Tenerife North and South airports on request. Pets are not allowed. The website does not give check-in and check-out times or say whether there is its own parking: ask when booking.
25 minutes from Cruz del Carmen
It is a good base if you want to alternate city and mountains: Cruz del Carmen is about 25 minutes by car via Las Mercedes, and the La Laguna interchange, with buses to Cruz del Carmen, Afur and El Bailadero, is a walk away. The tram takes you to Santa Cruz.